Japanese - Meeting New People

___出身です。

___ shusshin desu.

I'm from ___.

Meaning: I'm from ___.

When to use: Use this to say your country, city, or region of origin. Fill the blank with a place name (国、町、地域).

はじめまして

Hajimemashite.

Nice to meet you.

Meaning: Nice to meet you.

When to use: A standard greeting for first-time meetings. Often followed by よろしくお願いします for friendliness.

こちらこそ、よろしくお願いします。

Kochira koso, yoroshiku onegai shimasu.

Nice to meet you too.

Meaning: Nice to meet you too.

When to use: Use this to politely respond when someone greets you at a first meeting.

___とはどういう知り合いですか？

___ to wa dō iu shiriai desu ka?

How do you know ___?

Meaning: How do you know ___?

When to use: Ask this when you want to know the relationship or context (work, school, friend) between someone and another person. Put a name in the blank, often with さん.

___で知り合いました。

___ de shiriaimashita.

We know each other from ___.

Meaning: We know each other from ___.

When to use: Say where you met someone (place, school, company, event). Put the place or event in the blank and use the particle で.

ここに来たばかりですか？

Koko ni kita bakari desu ka?

Are you new here?

Meaning: Are you new here?

When to use: Ask this to check if someone recently came to a place or started a job. It's polite but common.

ここに来たばかりです。

Koko ni kita bakari desu.

I'm new here.

Meaning: I'm new here.

When to use: Use this to say you have only recently arrived at a place or started somewhere.

すみません、お名前をもう一度教えていただけますか？

Sumimasen, onamae o mō ichido oshiete itadakemasu ka?

Sorry, what was your name again?

Meaning: Sorry, what was your name again?

When to use: A polite way to ask someone to repeat their name when you forgot it. Use いただけますか to be extra polite.

自己紹介させてください。

Jiko shōkai sasete kudasai.

Let me introduce myself.

Meaning: Let me introduce myself.

When to use: A polite phrase to begin a self-introduction in a meeting, class, or group setting.

お会いするのは初めてだと思います。

O-ai suru no wa hajimete da to omoimasu.

I don't think we've met.

Meaning: I don't think we've met.

When to use: Use this politely to indicate you believe this is your first meeting with someone.

前にお会いしたことがありますか。

Mae ni o-ai shita koto ga arimasu ka.

Have we met before?

Meaning: Have we met before?

When to use: Ask this when you're unsure if you've met someone previously.

___さんを紹介します。

___-san o shōkai shimasu.

I'd like you to meet ___.

Meaning: I'd like you to meet ___.

When to use: Use this when introducing one person to another; put the person's name in the blank and add さん for politeness.

お名前のスペルを教えてください。

Onamae no superu o oshiete kudasai.

How do you spell your name?

Meaning: How do you spell your name?

When to use: Ask this to confirm the spelling of a name in the alphabet (use スペル). For kanji, ask for 漢字 instead.

Tip: Beginners sometimes forget to use スペル for alphabet spelling; asking for 漢字 is different.